Sweatin' to the oldies

[Cyrus]

It's oh so easy to take something out of context so that it means 
exactly what you want it to...

Behind Plato's famous "attack on poetry" lies his "world of ideas". That 
is the only true reality. The "reality" we perceive around us is but an 
imitation of that ideal world, and, as poetry was thought an imitation 
of the world, Plato believed it to be "a third remove from the truth". 
An imitation of an imitation. That's why he rejected it, especially as 
part of the education of the ruling class of his Republic. Needless to 
say, this "idealistic" model, that often resorts to metaphysics, is not 
considered valid today. Unless one is willing to accept the whole 
package: God, afterlife etc.

Cyrus

jollyrogerx99 at yahoo.com wrote:
Socrates - GLAUCON

> Of he many excellences which I perceive in the order of our State, 
> there is none which upon reflection pleases me better than the rule 
> about poetry.
>
> To what do you refer?
> To the rejection of imitative poetry, which certainly ought not to be 
> received; as I see far more clearly now that the parts of the soul 
> have been distinguished.
>
> What do you mean?
> Speaking in confidence, for I should not like to have my words 
> repeated to the tragedians and the rest of the imitative tribe --but I 
> do not mind saying to you, that all poetical imitations are ruinous to 
> the understanding of the hearers, and that the knowledge of their true 
> nature is the only antidote to them. .......